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Tri River CSU Extension says final MOU draft near; requests county appointment to advisory committee
Summary
Doug Dean, Tri River area director for Colorado State University Extension, updated the Ouray County Board on an updated multi‑county memorandum of understanding and outlined services provided by extension agents, clarified county responsibilities and described plans for advertising and appointing advisory‑board members.
Doug Dean, Tri River area director for Colorado State University Extension, briefed commissioners on an updated multi‑county memorandum of understanding (MOU) intended to clarify shared funding and responsibilities among Mesa, Delta, Montrose and Ouray counties.
Dean said campus is preparing a final draft after several months of revisions and that he expects to circulate the finalized document to the counties for signature within the next week or two. He described the updated MOU as more detailed than prior versions, particularly in the budget appendix, which lists salaries, percentage allocations, and county‑specific administrative support arrangements.
Dean reviewed services the Tri River Extension provides across the region: livestock and range consultation, an entomologist who covers the area, a commercial horticulturist, master gardener programming, 4‑H agents, an agronomist and small‑acreage/marketing support, STEM education and administrative support. He said some positions are fully state funded, others are part of the shared budget and still others receive partial county support; the updated budget appendix shows the percentage breakdowns for salaries and administrative costs.
Commissioners asked whether the MOU would obligate Ouray County to open a new office or hire new staff. County counsel and Dean clarified it would not; county responsibilities in the MOU refer to providing agreed contributions and reasonable office space/support for county‑based services but do not force a new county office. Attorney Casselli noted the agreement includes a non‑appropriation clause and that the counties’ past practice and the document language mean the county can limit commitments to appropriated funds.
Dean also described plans for the Extension advisory committee. He said Mesa County historically advertises for committee members and higher participation there reflects a larger budget share; he proposed a distribution of advisory seats to reflect budget shares and asked Ouray County staff to advertise and accept applications. He said the advisory committee’s role is to serve as local “eyes and ears” for Extension programming, to attend occasional meetings (often via Teams) and to provide feedback on local needs.
Ending: Dean said he would send the final campus‑approved MOU to county staff when it is returned to him and would bring a signature sheet to a future meeting. He asked county staff to advertise the advisory‑board vacancy and to forward applications for commissioners to consider.
